Unbound 200 2026

The Unbound 200 was a goal I knew would force me to grow as a cyclist. I picked it because I knew it would be hard and I'd have to face many unknowns in terms of terrain, possible mechanical difficulties and gravel roads that would take more strength than my usual road riding. I took steps to learn how to deal with these possible unknowns, only to find the curve ball that was thrown ended up being the weather.

Lightning storms all morning. Many far off in the distance and riders from KS assured me they were normal and much further away than they appeared. Well, then they got closer. Rain. Mud so deep we had to push our bikes at times. Hail. One of the strongest headwinds I've ever ridden against. Then, the sun came out so intense I grew concerned it would zap my energy. I kept riding.

The evening was when the weather settled and the race started to flow. I rode across the Lake Kahola dam at sunset. I crossed the finish line around 10pm, surpassing my goal by 2 hrs and feeling strong.